Rating My Professor
by serpentilewitch
Summary: Erutis is going to college! It should be great, right? Well, it would be, if it weren't for a certain curly-haired professor. -
1. Signing Up

Rating My Professor: Signing Up

By: Serpentilewitch

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm currently in the middle of Chapter Six for It's Not What You Think, so don't anybody have a cow over that, lol. Well, what can I say? I was inspired!

DISCLAIMER: . I'm tired of saying it! Check the profile, peoples, and don't sue me cuz I don't have enough money!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

College was supposed to be exciting, and new, and better than high school. It was under this deceptive assumption that she'd managed to graduate an unheard of TWO years earlier than normal, taking summer classes and studying all the life out of herself. This was not, however exciting and better…new, yes, but that didn't quiet make up.

Erutis sighed in frustration as she sat before her computer, scrolling through the seemingly endless list of professors available for her university. was a convenient little site that would definitely help her in deciding which professors to take. Being an art major was hard. And she hadn't even started, yet! Her entire summer was spent looking up financial aid scholarships and other stuff, checking out the dorms, asking around about how the campus was, and signing up for classes. Now she had to sign up for professors.

There were quite a few professors with peppers next to their names. A pepper indicated a smoking hot teacher…and Erutis was going to snag all the peppers that she could. I mean, it would be bad enough having dumb classes she HAD to take as requirements…might as well have something nice to look at while the lecturing went on, right? "Ooh, here's one!" she muttered as she came across one. "Let's see…Eclipse? What kinda name is that for a psychology professor? Oh, well, it rolls off the tongue nicely."

Erutis scrolled through his ratings, noting that EVERYONE had given him a pepper and that among them were also a few guys. She wrinkled her nose at that. It wasn't that she had a problem with gay people, it was just that she failed to understand them and their preferences. Shrugging, Erutis continued. "'Hard teacher, but you will walk away having learned a few things from him' …hard, huh? Who wrote this rating…Raenef? And what kinda name is that?!" Erutis failed, of course, to note that her name wasn't ordinary, either, but alas, that was her way.

"Erm, okay, definitely taking him, I guess…now…what's left? Right, I need people for the art department, now. Okie dokie, then…ooh, a pepper!" Suddenly Erutis burst out laughing. "Krayon?! How appropriate, my art teacher's name's Krayon!" Erutis dissolved into a fit of giggles that were half a result of an overworked sixteen year old. Managing to get herself under control, she decided to sign up for him without glancing at his ratings. A pepper and a joke all in one was enough for now. She didn't have a moment to lose, as move-in day for her college was in a week.

"Alrighty, now, I got that taken care of and what's left? Hmm…mm, oh, that's all! Would ya look at that, I'm done!"

"ERUTIS!" someone yelled from below stairs. "Have you packed yet?!" Her aunt's footsteps were heard climbing the stairs and Erutis groaned loudly. When would that witch of a woman leave her alone?

"I was getting ready to!" she hollered.

"Well-" the door to Erutis's room opened and her aunt helped herself to the interior. "You'd better hurry up. I remember how it was at college…it seems like so long ago now! There was this hunk I knew…oh, but anyhow, you'll want to pack up in a hurry because time really does fly. There'll have been all this stuff you'll forget at home, you know."

Erutis gritted her teeth, "I know, most of my packing's done as it is. Could you leave my room, now?!"

Her somewhat slutty aunt left the room in a huff, "I would have thought you'd atleast like a little girls night together thing, you know."

"Meruhesae, you're not a "girl", okay? You're what, 50?"

Meruhesae's eyes flashed, "I'm not even really thirty yet! You little ingrate! I can't wait until you make your own way in the world, then you'll realize me for my generosity!" With that, her aunt left the room.

Erutis let out a sigh, "Don't worry auntie dearest," she muttered. "I'll be glad to be out in the world by myself, too."

A few hours later, Erutis stood before the fourth and final suitcase, hands on hips, looking around the room to see if she'd forgotten anything. "Nope…looks like everything's here." Her emerald eyes fell on the picture frame that she always kept face down on her night table. Her parents were standing there, arms around each other, smiling at the camera. She had her mother's red hair and her father's green eyes. Her mother's build, too, but she'd been told her fiery temper and persona were a mirror of her father. She'd never know, though, since her parents had given her to her aunt before she was a year old.

As the story had been relayed to her, Meruhesae hadn't had any children and had held Erutis's parents to their promise that when they had a girl, they'd give her to Meruhesae to raise. Erutis had believed, that, really, but over the years, she'd decided that the story was just a cover. Either her parents really HAD given her to her aunt because of they didn't want her, or Meruhesae wasn't even really her aunt. Just some woman who'd gone to an adoption agency one night and saw a little baby quietly asleep with a price tag next to her that read, "Free. Please take." She sighed again. Maybe it wasn't that way. But too many times, it felt too much like that.

The picture frame was dropped face down on top of the pile of neatly folded clothes and the top was clicked shut. Well, it looked like this girl was all ready for the big bad world. Erutis glanced at the poster hung on her wall of the City of Chicago and felt a small smile cross her lips as she flung herself onto her bed. _Bring it on_, she thought.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, what did you all think? Please review! Don't worry, I'm still updating the other stories as well, but I was just so suddenly inspired! Hehe, enjoy!


	2. Move In Day

**Rating My Professor: Move-in Day  
By: Serpentilewitch**

AUTHOR'S NOTE: As some of you may already know, I've been feeling quite inspired as of late, so here's a much awaited chapter for y'all! -smiles- Hope you like it!

* * *

"Meruhesae!" Erutis hollered up the steps of the apartment, her voice ringing around the halls and likely disturbing the other tenants. She could care less, at this point, however. It was soon to be not her problem, anyhow. She heard a vague reply from somewhere telling her to hold on for a minute and growled low in her throat. Her aunt always took one helluva time getting ready. It wasn't as if she was going to be put on display or anything, but for all anyone knew, she was.

A clattering of shoes on wooden stairs alerted her to the presence of her aunt. Erutis sighed in exasperation and turned to contemplate her. The long black hair was left open and she had on a skin tight black dress that hugged every bit of her it could touch. The younger woman rolled her eyes and turned around from the spectacle. The taxi was waiting outside the door and the driver was becoming increasingly impatient.

"Alright, alright, we're here, keep your bloody shirt on!" she said crossly as she thumped her suitcases into the trunk, and then slammed the lid shut. She and her aunt got into the back and they were on their way. The driver started talking about the traffic, the gray weather, and about all the customers he was losing by waiting for them. Erutis tuned him out. She was suffering from a wretched case of Move-in Dayitis. It was a terrible thing, doing flip flops in her belly and making her shiver slightly at odd moments.

Turning her attention out the window, she let the city streets flash before her eyes, the gray clouds blurring together, zoning out. High school had been a hellish nightmare. People thought of her as weird, strange, reclusive, but someone you didn't want to mess with if you liked your butt at its current location. She grinned at the memory. Yea, the last part was something she'd try to keep of her image, but the rest she wanted to ditch. People didn't realize the only reason she wanted out so badly was that she wanted her freedom. But it didn't matter, they were all weird in high school. Stupid people.

"Awrite, then, here's your stop, ladies," the driver said, coming to a halt outside of a contemporary looking building. Erutis gazed up at it and smiled, hopped out, and took her belongings out of the trunk, leaving her aunt to pay. This was her day, after all. Besides, she was pretty much broke. Struggling with the four suitcases and trying to open the door at the same time, she glanced back irritably at her aunt, wondering where the lady'd got to.

A slight pang hit her in her chest at what she saw, and she dropped the luggage, one of the suitcases falling painfully on her right foot. "Meruhesae, what're you doing?" she demanded. Her aunt was making herself comfortable in the taxi, and giving the driver directions to someplace. Storming over to the taxi, Erutis rapped at the window, unheeding of the light drops of rain falling from the sky and wetting her green t-shirt and ragged jeans.

Meruhesae rolled down the window and looked up at her, eyeing the droplets of rain distastefully. "Dear, what is all this racket for?"

"Auntie, aren't you even coming inside!" Erutis demanded, somewhat miffed.

"Sweetie, I told you to have a girls night out the other week, remember, if you wanted to spend some time together, I've got a date I can't miss today." Her aunt's eyes became slightly shifty, as though the topic were making her uncomfortable.

"Well, seeing as how this date's soo important to you, _Auntie_, did you think you might maybe just help me get my stuff inside if nothing else?" Her voice was becoming louder and angrier. This wasn't fair! She didn't even have anyone to see her off, or miss her, or worry about her, or wish her well! This bloody wasn't fair!

"Dear…" her aunt's voice was becoming vague and slightly agitated, as though she was going to be late and Erutis was hindering her. She glanced outside the window quickly and motioned to the door. "Have that man there help you or something, please, I'm running low on time. Driver, just go straight for a while." With that, the car zoomed out, and she was left standing in the steady rain, looking after her aunt as she and her luggage got wet.

It took a few seconds for the reality of the situation to sink in for her, and then she stomped her foot right into a puddle that'd been developing around it. "NO!" she yelled after the yellow dot in the horizon. "Nooooo, you can't do this to me, dammit! Get back here, you, see me inside, help me get settled, miss me and wish me well, dammit! You lil vixen you!" She was pulling at her hair and dancing around in pent up agitation. This wasn't fair, dammit!

* * *

A curly haired head of golden hair leaned against the doorframe and observed the girl having a fit in the rain. His full lips widened in an amused smile and his gaze honey-tinted softened. _'What a charming little girl,'_ he thought. Pushing away from the doorway, he stepped out into the rain, not caring how wet his deep blue t-shirt got, or his fuzzy gray pajama bottoms. He went to stand right behind the girl, grinning and staring down at the top of her head.

"Ah, need a hand, m'lady?" he asked gallantly, unable to keep the grin off his face. She turned to face him, face set in a mask of fury, then yelped and stumbled back. She hadn't realized how close to her he was.

"What do you want, you creep!" she asked him irritably. The last thing she wanted was a stranger helping her on a day meant for family. He laughed outright at her reaction, shook his head, reached down, and hefted two of her suitcases in one hand, opened the door, and took up another one with his other hand.

Turning to look at her, he asked, "Are you coming, or do I just dump this in front of _my_ door?" Putting down the suitcase he was caring in the one hand, he tossed the last piece of luggage at her, which she caught clumsily and the force of which almost made her tip over.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, this is _my_ stuff! Put it down this instant!" He merely glanced at her, then continued on through the door, waiting to hear her quick footsteps trying to catch the door before it closed.

"Mornin'," he greeted the security guards. They nodded and smiled at him as he passed, and Erutis noted with some wonder that in this high security building, they didn't even ID him. She tried to walk past the short ID detector things they had situated in front of the elevator hall, but it beeped violently and caught the attention of every single security personnel there. The man with the ridiculous golden hair gave a short laugh and said, "She's with me," at which they all relaxed and smiled cheerily at her.

Erutis stared at them, then at the man who'd calmly pressed the elevator button, then turned to regard her. Just who was this guy? Security gave him a free for all! "I'm not 'with' you, mister!" she said as soon as she found her voice.

"What's your room number?" he questioned instead, as though he hadn't heard her.

Caught off-guard, Erutis replied with an automatic, "713A." He nodded, and as the first elevator's arrival pinged into existence, he pressed the number "7" and they were both gliding upwards. They passed the elevator ride in silence, Erutis still upset with her aunt, and wondering at the identity of the stranger, while the stranger hummed quietly, quite unperturbed by anything at all. Occasionally he'd catch her staring and grin, or simply try valiantly to suppress an amused smile.

_Ping._ His quick strides exited the elevator and she hurried to catch up. A short hallway and quick turn later, they stood outside room 713A. And stood. And stood. "My the scenery is wonderful," the stranger commented. "It would be better if the tenant had their ID though," he added pointedly. Erutis blushed.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot! Erm, and, I uh, sorta completely forgot which suitcase had my ID in it…" she blushed in embarrassment and tried in vain to fish around her suitcase quickly in hopes of finding it. But no such luck. She heard his quiet chuckle, and looked up.

He was searching the pockets of his fuzzy gray pajama bottoms, found what he was looking for, and swiped it across the card slot that was in place of a lock on the door. It blipped a green light, quiet sound, and it was open. Turning the handle and pushing open the heavy door, the man turned back to smile at her, pocketing his ID again.

"Hey, that's not fair, you can break into anyone's room, at that rate!" Erutis cried, enraged. He chuckled again, and then laughed outright. "I don't think you've gotta worry about that, my dear, " he said shortly. Sketching a quick bow, he flashed her a grin, and then swept- yes _swept _around the corner and down the hall, where the pinging of the elevator announced his departure. The man had a way of being gallant and dashing even in a blue t-shirt and fuzzy gray pajama bottoms.

Wondering what in the world that was all about, Erutis shook her head, then chucked her stuff inside. This was just so strange.

* * *

The bed was made before long, and Erutis had taken a shower, too. There wasn't much else to do, seeing as how it was pouring outside. Settling herself down had taken a few hours, and she was pretty tired, really. But there was a strange sort of elation inside her. She didn't _have_ to do anything if she didn't want to. Right now, at this very moment, every second was hers to do with as she pleased, and she pleased to do a great deal, tasting all the years that were wasted before.

Throwing herself down on the bed, she sighed and turned her head to stare out the window at the gray skies. She was getting quite comfortable this way. Would she make any friends? How would her professors be? Would she like them? Would they like her? Would she have any visitors? As soon as she thought that last thought, there came a bold, but somehow still tentative knock on the door.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, I'm just that evil, lol. Hope you guys liked this! It really had been a while, hadn't it? Thanks so much for everyone that reviewed, I love you all! -smiles-

Kerichi: Erm, Krayon's not a pedophile, he's not DOING anything to or with Erutis. Besides, you don't know how old he is here, this is an AU fic, so of course, he can't be the several hundred years old he really is, so, I've tweaked that, of course. Just wait and see what happens, please. –grin-


	3. First Visitor

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ooh, ooh, lookie what the author dragged in! Enjoy another chapter after a long wait, I apologize for it! …the wait, that is.

* * *

**Rating My Professor  
Chapter 3: First Visitor **

Erutis was halfway across the room before a thought struck her. Why should she open the door? There was no reason to, really. No one she'd made any appointments with. There couldn't be any sort of emergency. No reason, really. She could simply ignore the caller, if she wanted to. It was all quite within the scope of possibility. After all, that's how it is when one is living on their own. No rules.

As a second, seemingly questioning knock came at the door; however, she shook her head and covered the remaining distance. That would just make her seem even more a hermit and a recluse. Besides, she really was eager to see who came calling so quickly. Who knew- this could be the start of something big.

Snatching up a hair clip off a nearby stand, Erutis quickly swept up her wet locks and slid back the latch. Her eyes were met with white Styrofoam. She blinked. Then her brains kicked in and she followed the box up the ringed fingers, the blue t-shirt and the amazing honey-colored eyes.

"Hi." It was the first thing that had popped into her head to say. In the back of her mind somewhere, she registered that she had a visitor and that the proper, yet casual way to greet visitors was with a small salutation.

"Hi." Apparently, he may've registered somewhere in the back of his mind that he was a guest and that the proper, yet casual way to greet a host was with a small salutation. For some reason, this seemed to make the ends of his mouth quirk up a bit, in that amused smirk of his.

Erutis, meanwhile, seemed to be in slow motion. She jerked the door open wider, forgetting that she still stood in the entrance. He extended the styrofoamed container to her and she took it wordlessly. It was like a tribal exchanging of formalities, and the atmosphere was somewhat stiff and awkward.

"May I come in?" he asked finally.

"Oh! Uhh…" Erutis glanced around her room quickly, hoping nothing was too out of place, when her curiosity took over. "Hey, what're you doing here, anyhow?"

"Moi?"

"Yea, sure, whatever…" Erutis trailed, slightly confused. "Anyhow, I meant, what're you doing here? Don't you have like, your own room to be in or class to go to…?"

He grinned outright at that, but only answered, "Moi is French for 'Me'."

"Oh." The redhead looked down, and her eyes fell on the warm, white Styrofoam container he'd handed her. "What's this for?"

The stranger took a seat on her bed, one leg crossed over the other in casual ease and smiled. "It's for you."

"Well, yea, I know, or you wouldn't have handed it to me."

They blinked.

"Is that so?" he voiced, more to himself than anyone else. Erutis was beginning to get the impression that this guy was a real weirdo, and probably some sort of serial killer, too. It was always the pretty ones.

* * *

He felt an inward blush etch across his heart. She was so endearing, frank, and to the point! This might well be wrong. She was probably a good deal younger than he was. She probably had a boyfriend somewhere whom she probably bullied and probably loved very much. He probably wasn't in love with her, though, except that she was so cute! And especially when she got all huffy and even more so when she tried to do something herself that she _obviously_ wouldn't be able to manage. 

"Hell-LOW!"

He blinked rapidly and focused in on his surroundings, tilting his head just so as to affirm his attentiveness. "Yes?" He had it down to an art, yes indeed. The art of being so damn elegant that everyone around him felt in the wrong. So even when he wasn't paying attention, it would feel, at this moment, to her, as if she shouldn't have yelled like that. She shouldn't have snapped him out of his elegant thoughts so rudely…

But since it was her, she decided not to go all out and do the mildly accusatory yet-I-still-forgive-you-what-do-you-want, questioning stare.

* * *

He smiled at her, waiting for her to continue, and she felt herself get distinctly warm around the cheeks. Maybe she shouldn't have interrupted his musings so rudely as that, a light tap might've sufficed… Erutis wasn't used to feeling apologetic about her actions, however, so instead, she "hmph"-ed and crossed her arms over her chest, gearing her annoyance towards him. 

"You weren't even paying attention! I asked what you came here for, and why you brought me the food. And your name, I asked for your name, too." She tapped her foot, hoping he'd get the feeling he was wasting her time. She didn't have room in her life for serial killers and general weirdoes.

"Oh, excuse me." He was so polite; she found it a challenge to hang on to her annoyance, which was something that had never happened. This, of course, caused further annoyance, which, in turn, defeated the purpose. "I came here to see what you're doing, how you're getting on, etc, etc. You seemed to have gotten off on the, ah… undesirable foot, if you will, and it seemed you were so busy unpacking, eating seemed to have slipped your mind. I hope you don't mind the gesture…?"

"Huh?" Erutis lifted her head from where it was engaged in wolfing down spicy Asian rise with a plastic spork. "No, no, I dunn mind a' all!" It was hard talking through a mouthful. "This is soo goo', where'd you ge' it?"

"The Indian place around the corner, they have good stuff, you should try them sometime." She nodded in emphatic agreement, while he continued. "Well, I won't keep you from your food any longer…" Rising gracefully, he (once again) swept to the door, offered her a smile and sketched her a bow, then turned to leave.

He paused, however, and turning marginally, said, "Oh, yes…my name's…Krayon."

Erutis choked violently. "What!"

Tilting his head, he amended, "That is, Lord Krayon of Egae. Pleased to make your acquaintance." The door clicked quietly shut behind him and he was gone. Just like that.

The girl sat there, trying to understand how it is, that her first visitor just _had_ to be her professor. Why did the universe do these things to her? Why? The last depressed bite of spicy rice was just about to enter her mouth when it was caused to jerk violently away by overenthusiastic knocking on the door.

'_Oh, great,'_ Erutis thought. _'Lord Creepo's back.'_ She approached the door, ready to give him a piece of her mind, and wrenched it open.

"Listen, ya creep! I didn't want your help with the bags, and I don't want your Creepness to-" Something was wrong with this picture, she noted uncomfortably as a pair of bright blue eyes filled with tears.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: -grins- Well, how was it? Worth the wait? Sucked? Bleh? Tell me! 


	4. Sleeping Beauty

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Goodness gracious, is this an...update?!!

* * *

**Rating My Professor  
Chapter 4: Second Visitor **

Erutis blinked, feeling extremely horrible immediately. It wasn't the Serial Killer, afterall. It was an extremely effeminate, but equally adorable boy that looked about her age. He had a bouquet of daisies in his hand and even they seemed to be wilting from the hurt their holder was feeling. "Oh my God- I'm so sorry!" Erutis exclaimed, not sure what to do.

"Really?!" the boy wanted to know, hope filling his voice.

"Yea, of course, I mean-"

"Yay!" He seemed ecstatic at the fact that she didn't mean to be mean to him. It was slightly...off- but he was so adorable, all she wanted to do was glomp him soundly. Of course, that would not be proper, seeing as how she had no clue who he was, so she held her urges in.

"Umm, you are?"

"My name's Raenef! I live down the hall from you!" He was so perky, it almost hurt- especially since the weather was such a downer. How did he do it? He stuck his fist out at her, the one that was holding the daisies. "For you!" he supplied. Erutis blinked. She'd surmised as much, of course, but still, she'd never been given flowers before.

Taking them, she muttered an awkward, "Thanks," and finally stepped away from the door to let Raenef come through. The boy's eyes took in everything at once and seemed to bounce from one corner of the room to another.

"Wow, you don't have a lot of stuff," he noted tactlessly.

"Uh, yea, I know, I...don't need much."

"And lookit this wall!" he exclaimed, continuing as though he hadn't heard her, which, in all honesty, he probably hadn't. "It's so...blank!" It indeed, was a pretty naked wall, but one is not normally accustomed to having such decorating errors pointed out so blatantly. So it wasn't so surprising that Erutis returned with yet another blank look.

_'Is this how things are in the real world?'_ she wondered. _'Everyone just says everything to your face?'_ Clearing her throat, Erutis opted for a polite lie. "Yea, I was going to go out and buy a poster or something for that wall, maybe..."

"Heh, really?! Can I come with you?!" He sounded so excited, Erutis could practically _see_ the exclamation marks at the end of all his sentences.

"Uh, sure, no problem-" Things were happening very fast. Did she just agree to go out with someone who'd just met her? Was her social agenda always going to be so...impromptu? All the excitement and trials of the day were starting to take their toll on her and Erutis felt a headache coming on. She closed her eyes and tried to discreetly rub her temple.

"Hey, are you okay?" Raenef demanded, large eyes full to brimming with barely restrained sorrow on her behalf. Geez, this guy was on the extreme end of any emotion, it seemed! But he looked so pitiful for her that she couldn't let him cry, which he looked like he was getting ready to do.

"Nono, I'm fine, really!" Erutis let herself smile a huge smile, and nodded her head emphatically.

"Are you sure?" he questioned, peering into her eyes as though to find the truth of the matter in their depths. "Want me to get you something to eat?"

"I just ate, actually," she answered, pointing to the styrofoam box of rice the Pencil Color had dropped by earlier, it's last bite of rice all but forgotten. Erutis mentally laughed at her own joke and turned to ask Raenef something but he beat her to it.

"Y'know, you look kinda tired. Maybe you should rest, you just came here, afterall. We can go shopping tomorrow, instead!" He grinned at her and she felt she'd been passively bullied into going to bed. Somewhere in her mind, she felt like resisting, that it wasn't her bedtime yet, but she'd no sooner closed the door on Raenef and walked to her bed before she fell face-first into it, deeply asleep.

* * *

"Lord Krayon of Egae" was just walking out of the men's room at the University Center (A/N: This is the building where the dorms are) when he was stopped by a call from one of the security guards. Quirking an eyebrow, he turned and looked a question at the man. "Yes?"

The rather heavyset man came puffing up the golden haired pretty boy, holding out what looked like a student ID card. "Sir, a taxi driver just came by and dropped this off. I think it belongs to that girl that was with you earlier. He says it was left in his car."

Krayon took the ID. Indeed, a stiff and somewhat awkwardly smiling red-haired, green eyed maiden stared back at him from the little picture in the upper left corner of the card. Glancing quickly at the right side, he saw that she was an "Erutis Toushishou" (A/N: Using freedict dot com, Tou means sword? Anyhow, that's the word I'm using for this name, and shishou, of course, means master). He nodded once to the guard, and said simply, "I will see that it is returned to her."

It seemed he had one last errand to run before he could turn in for the night. Sweeping back up to the elevator, he got in the first available one and pressed the "Seven" button, then waited patiently for it to ping to the proper floor. Standing outside room 713A, he listened carefully at the door, wondering if he'd be interrupting any "Just-Got-To-College" party, but his ears were met with nothing but silence. He knocked once, softly. No answer. He tried again, harder. Nothing. When he had pounded on the door with a considerable portion of his considerable strength, he decided to open the door and come in anyway. It wasn't like he was some sort of serial killer or anything, so it didn't matter, he reasoned.

The lights were still on, which was a surprise, as Erutis herself was passed out, knees on the floor and the rest of her body tossed across the bed. It looked very uncomfortable and cold. Krayon took about two seconds to assess the situation. Hoisting her body easily in his arms he adjusted her so that she was sleeping properly, and also tucked the sheets around her, for warmth. She mumbled incoherent halfwords, but clearly wasn't about to wake up any time soon.

Eyeing the virtually empty styrofoam container, Krayon narrowed his eyes. One thing he would not tolerate in his building were cockroaches, and if people left food out for extended periods of time, they'd be sure to develop. Those little bastards always found a way. He tossed the container in the trash and then placed the ID on Erutis's bedside table. Searching the pockets of his fuzzy gray pajama bottoms, he fished out a piece of scrap paper, and scrawled out a quick note in elegant, yet sketchy script:

"Dear Sleeping Beauty,

You left this in the taxi- it wasn't in your suitcases, afterall. Aren't you glad I was there to let you into your room? I look forward to seeing you in classes in a few days.

Sweet dreams,

Lord Krayon"

Unclicking his pen and turning to leave, he paused as he heard shuffling about on the bed. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Erutis had in fact, awoken and was sitting up slightly, rubbing one eye, still sleepy. "Hey, wait, who are you?" she mumbled groggily, clearly not awake yet.

"Shh, go to sleep," Krayon instructed her, pushing her gently back onto the mattress. She yawned and obliged, eyes already closed again, face turned away, towards the window.

"You're the serial killer again, aren't you?" she asked, halfway to the Dreamplanes.

He chuckled. "Is that what you think of me?" She nodded, smiling, answering in her sleep. "But I've been nothing but nice to you!" he objected in a soft, indignant whisper. She nodded and smiled again. He couldn't help it, there was a certain affection that was growing for her- she was simply too cute! Remembering how she'd raged in the rain at her retreating aunt, however, he thought it best she _not_ remember this in the morning, though. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "You're just dreaming, okay?"

In answer, she turned her face away from the window and slept on.

Krayon shut off the lights and closed the door firmly behind him. She'd probably had a long day.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE: See, that wasn't too bad, was it? -hopeful grin- How're you guys liking it so far? Or aren't you? O.o Let me know via review, damnit! XD (Please and thankyou!) 


End file.
